Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-04-01

mother, the thought of her strange occupa.
ton, and of her yet stranger glance on
the preceding day reverted continually to
his thoughts. He stood at the cabin door
gazing upon the spot where his mothers
remains were shortly TO be laid; and with
out any very definite intention, he slowly
bent his steps toward the still vScant grave.
He fixed his eyes upon that corner where
the old woman had seemed to busy herself
upon the preceding day. The still had evil
IDENTIFY been disturbed and carefully
pressed down again. He struck q stick
down upon the spot; some resistance Of
fcred itself to the stick. He knelt down to
investigate the matter more closely: and
after stirring the earth Il little, what was
his establishment on discovering a black
leather bag. carefully sewed up; and, on
taking it out, it weighed SO heavily that
the thought at once occurred to him that
it must be filled with money. "Some
pence" though he to himself, 'that the
poor old soul had saved, and was 90 foolish
as to bury here. 1t couldn't be much, for
she knew that I wanted money very badly
to get married; and she never would have
kept it from me-she loved me too we'll for
that"
While cositating thus he returned home.
and. taking out his mothers well-usel
scissors, cut open the bag. On putting n
his hand, he drew out a bright, new god
piece. He stared at ii as if it had beer a
ghost. SO unexpected and b~ewiidering vas
the vision. Again he put i'll his hand. and
took out several coins, each .one of which
proved as valuable as the first. He then
poured out the contents of the bag Upon
the old table where he and his mothtr had
eaten many q poor and scanty mes. He
reckoned the pieces, and numbered thirty
of them. One hundred and fifty d,llars!-
one-tenth of which would have made him
happy during her lifetime had sic given
it to him, instead OF hoardingit with such
a jealous and misery passion Painful
thoughts rushed into Denny's nind. He
had SO long toiled and shaved o support
her, and it was THIS she Ind rewarded
him, saving out of his earnings as we'll as
her own, with the wretched purpose of
carrying her treasure to the grave!
Angry words rose to Dnny's lips
as he bethought himself Il this; and
he was about 10 mutter them aloud,
when his eye rested or the cold.
pale corpse lying before hin. Death is a
sacred thing, shedding n eor' of halo even
upon those who in life bon q mean and
unworthy aspect. Thus it vas in the pres
ent instance. Denny, while gazing upon
the departed remembered only that she
was his mother, vino had nhrtured him in
infancy, and cherished him in youth-who
had watched over him in sickness, and
prided herself in the joyous visor Of his
manhood.
Casting aside all unkindly thoughts, he
counted over his treasure once more, re-
placed it in the bag, and carefully locked
it up in q large wooden chest one of the
very few articles of furniture to be found
in the cabin. Having done his, Denny
turned his thoughts to the work. before
him, and resolved that his mother should
have "a fine wake and a handsome funeral"
And so she had; for there WIS, as the
%neighbors said, "great fan and plenty OF
drink" at Mrs. O'Donoghoe's wake ,andlong
was the procession, and loud the lamenta-
tons, at her funeral.
All these ceremonies having been duly
performed, Denny felt the need of consta-
ton and companionship in his lomIy
home; and to whom should he look or
both but to the kind-hearted girl whom We
may remember as y humble votary at st.
Anne's Well2 He did not conceal from Ter
the discovery of his mothers horde; AID
although the story of the old woman's avn.
rice startled and surprised her, she was to
good and gentle a being to harbor a bud
thought concerning the deceased. whm
they ever mentioned with respect; AID
when one little comfort after another WIS
provided for her in the new home, Sic
would sometimes say to her husband: "Sue,
Denny, it is to yer mother we're beholdn
for oil this dacent furniture;" wherein
they would both intuitively utter a praye,
that her soul might rest in peace. Nor did
they rest satisfied with thus reaping f.,
themselves alone the fruits of her avarice;
the remembrance of their mothers fault,
instead of imparting bitterness TO th.il
thoughts, and closing up their hearts 10.
wards their fellow-creatures, served only
to teach them the true value of money, anG
its rightful purpose in life; and, although
Denny and his wife We're probably but in.
different theologians. they practically knew
that it was more blessed to give than te
receive" Never was q sorrowful being sen
away from their door without q word O
kindness and sympathy-never was a need,
sufferer dismissed without showing thei
simple hospitality.-Chicugo Ledger.
TOOK THE FLUOh THEN,
She was a very pretty little girl, ant
she stood in her mothers lap and o,